


Ink

by Depressedonetime



Category: My Chemical Romance, The Used
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Fluff, Frank Iero Is A Little Shit, M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 08:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30018975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Depressedonetime/pseuds/Depressedonetime
Summary: Bert’s not too sure about tattooing this guy
Relationships: Bert McCracken/Gerard Way
Comments: 9
Kudos: 15





	Ink

**Author's Note:**

> I (sadly) don’t have any tattoos yet, so I’m not entirely sure how the process works, but I went through a phase of watching a tattoo competition show so I used my small bit of knowledge to write this

Bert was lounging around, done for the day and drinking his third coffee of the day. He probably should have cut himself off at two, but he had to deal with a woman who had no idea what she wanted and where she wanted it, so he was giving himself a treat. 

“Bert! You got a walk in!” the receptionist called. He chugged the rest of his coffee and stood up, walking around the wall dividing the desk from the rest of the studio. Two men were standing in front of the desk. One of them was pale, unmarked from what he could see, and clutching the shoulder of the shorter one, who was covered in ink. 

“Who am I sticking a needle in today?”

The taller one closed his eyes. 

“Him,” the inked guy said. “It’s not that bad, Gerard, I promise.”

“Hey, if you don’t want to get a tattoo, I really advise against it,” Bert said. 

The pale guy- Gerard- shook his head. “No, I wanna get it. I’m just fucking scared of needles.”

“Alright, come on back. My space is pretty small though, your friend is gonna have to wait out here.”

Gerard shot a panicked look at his friend, who squeezed his arm reassuringly. 

“I promise it’s gonna be okay. Come on back and tell me what you want.” Bert smiled and led him to the back of the studio. 

Gerard followed him, hovering awkwardly near the table. Bert patted the leather table, and Gerard sat down quickly, almost like his knees gave out. “Nice to meet you. I’m Bert McCracken, I’ve been doing this shit for five years, and everyone is always scared for their first tattoo.”

“It’s not really my first,” Gerard admitted. 

“What do you mean?” Bert picked up a small notebook. 

“I got a stick and poke when I was sixteen, and it hurt like a bitch and got infected, and so now I’m scared of needles.”

“Oh. Well, Gerard, I promise you I’m a lot more experienced and this isn’t gonna be like a stick and poke. Now, I gotta ask, are you on any drugs or blood thinners?”

“No. Um, antidepressants, but I’m not really sure what they do.”

“Alright, that’ll be fine.” Bert opened his notebook and picked up a pen. “So, what are you thinking?”

“I wanna get my grandmother’s name, maybe with a flower? But like, really small.”

“Alright. In script, or something?”

“Would it be possible to do it in her handwriting? I have a letter she wrote my mom once.”

“Yeah, but if it’s _too_ small, it’s not gonna copy well.”

Gerard reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. He directed Bert’s attention to the signature at the bottom, that read _Elena_ in neat handwriting. It was fairly big, enough that it would stand out on his skin. 

“Yeah, that’ll work. I’ll trace over that, and you said you wanted a flower with it? What kind?”

“A rose? Like, a really small rose.”

“Sure, sure. Black and white or in color?”

“Which will hurt less?”

“Black and white, I won’t have to do color.”

“Black and white, then.”

“Alright.” Bert looked down at his notebook and drew a quick sketch of a rose, then showed it to Gerard. “Like that?”

“That’s good.”

“Alright. Give me a minute.” Bert stood up with Gerard’s letter and the drawing of the rose and put them on a piece of paper, glancing back behind him as he configured the design. “Where do you want this?”

“My...my chest?”

“Over your heart?” Bert turned to look at him. 

Gerard hesitated. “Yes?”

“That’s gonna hurt, a lot. The right side of your chest would be better, or not your chest at all.”

“Where do you suggest it?”

“Maybe your arm?”

“That feels too impersonal.”

“I can do your chest if you want.” Bert turned back to the paper and showed him once he was finished. “Look good?”

“It looks perfect,” Gerard breathed. 

“Alright. Do you have any chest hair?”

“No.”

“Alright, cool. Can you take your shirt off for me?” Bert traced the design onto a stencil, which he would apply to Gerard’s skin. 

When he glanced back up, Gerard’s chest was bare. He felt guilty, but he couldn’t help checking him out for a second. The dude was hot, what could he say?

“Alright, come here.” Bert sat on his stool and rolled toward the table, picking up a small stick of something. He saw Gerard eyeing it nervously, and held it up so he could inspect it. “It keeps the stencil on your skin so I can tattoo it.”

“Okay,” Gerard whispered. 

Bert frowned. “Are you okay? Seriously, you don’t have to do this. I know your friend has a bunch of tattoos, and I don’t know if he dared you to do this or whatever, but-”

“No,” Gerard said. “I wanna do this, seriously.”

“Are you sure?” Bert asked. “Once I start, if I have to stop you’re gonna have part of a tattoo on.”

“I’m sure.”

“Alright.” Bert picked up his gun, dipped the needle in ink, and looked back at Gerard, who was shaking. “Stay still for me, okay?”

Gerard nodded. He flinched when Bert got too close with the gun, and wisely, he left it just running over his skin. 

“This is gonna hurt,” Bert said, and pressed the needle down. Gerard’s eyes snapped shut, and he let out a long breath. “Okay?”

Gerard nodded. 

Bert pressed the needle against his skin. He shot a look up at Gerard, whose eyes were squeezed shut. His lip was caught between his teeth, and his hands were clenched on the leather table. 

“We can take a break at any time,” Bert said, inking the E first. “Just let me know, alright?”

Gerard nodded shakily. 

“Does it hurt?” Bert asked softly, pulling away to get more ink. Half of the name was done. 

“Like a motherfucker,” Gerard said. 

“Yeah, it’s gonna do that until it heals.” Bert wiped away some blood and got closer, focusing on the second half of the name. 

Once the name was done, Gerard asked to take a break. Bert put his gun down and stretched, then stood up to go about some business while Gerard recovered. 

“Are you sure my friend can’t come back here?” Gerard asked. “He’ll be mostly quiet, I promise, and if he isn’t, you can punch him in the face.”

“If he stays mostly behind you, that would be okay.” Bert looked up. “Want me to go get him?”

Gerard nodded. “His name is Frank.”

Bert walked out to the main room. Frank was sitting in a plastic chair, scrolling through his phone. “Frank?”

He looked up. “Um, hi?”

“Gerard wants to see you.”

“Oh, alright, rad.” Frank stood up and followed Bert back. 

“Are you ready to start again?” Bert asked Gerard. He shook his head. “Alright, I’ll give you a few more minutes.”

“Want me to hold your hand?” Frank asked. Bert could tell he was being genuine, even from the corner he was in flipping through designs that he had to redraw. 

Gerard whispered something. Bert could see out of the corner of his eyes that his cheeks went red and he smacked Frank when he whispered back. 

“I’m ready,” Gerard said. 

“Alright, cool.” Bert sat on his stool again and dipped his gun in some ink. He brushed the hair that was sweeping Gerard’s shoulder back, fingers trailing against his neck, pretending not to notice how he shuddered when he did. Then he started working on the rose. 

After some time, he noticed that Frank had a hand on Gerard’s shoulder. They weren’t holding hands. He wondered what the whole whispery argument was about, but he didn’t pay any mind to it. He just wiped away some ink and blood and did some finishing touches on the rose. 

“Alright!” He sat back. “You’re all done.”

Gerard breathed a sigh of relief. 

Bert went to get some ointment and bandages. “It’s gonna hurt for a few weeks, and you definitely shouldn’t sleep on your front. If it gets infected, go see a doctor.”

Gerard flinched when Bert touched his chest. He showed him the ointment. “This is so it doesn’t get infected, stay still.”

“He has a thing for his chest being played with,” Frank said. 

_“Frank!”_ Gerard smacked him. 

Bert laughed. “Sorry. Almost done, I just don’t wanna get sued.”

“It’s alright.” Gerard’s voice was small. 

Once he was done with the ointment, Bert wrapped the tattoo up in bandages. “Keep that on for a few hours. Once you unbandage it, wash it, _please_ wash your hands first. Do not put sunscreen over it, wear too tight clothing, and go swimming or anything.”

“Can I shower?” Gerard asked. 

“Yes, you can shower. Wash your tattoo every day, and don’t pick at any scabs you see. Um...I think that’s all, but if I missed anything I’m sure Frank will be able to help you out.”

“Huh? Oh.” Frank looked down at his ink covered body. “Yeah, I have the aftercare thing memorized now.”

“Alright. Gerard, you can put your shirt back on, and you guys can head to the front desk to pay.”

Gerard put his shirt back on and gestured for Frank to leave. He looked at Bert, who was putting away his inks. “Um. Bert?”

“Hm?” Bert looked up. 

“Can I, um- do you want- maybe-”

“What’s up?” Bert smiled softly. 

Gerard closed his eyes. “Can I get your number?”

 _“Oh._ ” So that’s what all those whispery conversations were. “Yeah, of course. Here.

He scribbled his number in pen on Gerard’s arm. “Consider that one free.”

“Um, thank you.” Gerard smiled, and before he could stop himself, he kissed Bert’s cheek. Then he booked it out of the back room. 

Bert just laughed to himself. He looked forward to hearing from Gerard. 


End file.
